Five Things - April 22, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can also follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. You may notice that this week’s blog doesn’t show our itinerary. As we head east for the summer, and then cross back to the west coast for the holidays, we plan to be a little more fluid with our travel plans. I’ll be starting school and will need time to work, we have some repairs scheduled for our moving house, and in general, we’re more comfortable being flexible.

2. Arkansas was much prettier than I expected! Rolling hills, green fields, flowering trees, and of course, the Ozark lakes. We spent a week at Table Rock Lake on the Arkansas side, and it was lovely. Definitely a place we’d vacation, but it was a bit isolated for us while we were trying to live our day-to-day lives. The nearest ‘town,’ and I use the term generously, was about forty minutes away, so it was a challenge to grocery shop, exercise, or pretty much do anything besides work and enjoy the scenery. Like I said, lovely if we were vacationing, but a long week otherwise.

3. Over the last few days, we’ve stopped in Arkansas, Kansas, and Nebraska, and now we’re heading to Kansas City, MO for a few weeks. My thoughts on middle America - there are a lot of cows and fields. A lot. However, I’ve been to KC a few times for book events, and Ray and I have a good friend who lives there, so I remember enjoying the city quite a bit. We have dinner plans, a date to watch the Royals play, and I’ve already found a yoga studio and a hair salon I’m hoping to hit up. It seems I’m more of a city mouse at heart!

4. Last week was my orientation for grad school. It was great to have everyone from the program in the same room, virtually of course, and hear from instructors and students alike. I’ve already made my travel plans for residency this summer and set up my school email account. It’s starting to feel real! I suppose when we write out that first tuition check, it’ll feel even more real, LOL.

5. Wind is my driving nemesis. I am comfortable driving this beast in rain or snow, over tight mountain passes, and up and down hills, but the wind is a challenge. As I write this post and get ready to pack up for our trek to Kansas City, the breeze is blowing. Yikes! She handles well, and I know intellectually that a good gust won’t blow us off the road, but it’s still really nerve-wracking. Wish me luck!

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - January 29, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. Ray and I went to the San Diego Zoo this weekend. The last time we were there, our kids ranged in age from 2 to 13, and we realized it’s quite a different experience enjoying these sorts of outings without little ones. Despite our late start, and my worry that we’d be closing the place down in order to see it all, we made our way through every exhibit in about two-and-a-half hours and found ourselves back at the campground, floating in the pool with cocktail in hand, by 4 pm. Like most of our adventures as empty-nesters, this one was both wonderful and a little bittersweet. We remember leaving places like the zoo exhausted after a full day. Any excursion with four kids in tow required patience, planning, multiple stops for snacks, space for exploring things like rocks and water fountains and the inside of every bathroom, more patience, and really good footwear. We made good memories for sure, and those memories still make us smile. Kid-free, we ended our ‘speed zoo’ day with a glass of wine and steaks on the grill, but also no tired little ones to kiss goodnight. Bittersweet indeed.

2. I’m a geek at heart. Maybe you don’t know that about me, but it’s true. I love planetariums, science museums, natural history museums, aquariums, or basically any place where I can learn some cool new science thing. I read Scientific American and Astronomy magazine cover to cover every month. Total geekfest, I know. Anyway, recently, I was reading an article on cosmic voids. These phenomena are just what they sound like – giant blank spaces in, well, space. Here’s the thing, astronomers used to think that because of how the universe was expanding after the Big Bang, matter would be evenly dispersed. Yes, matter would clump up to form galaxies and all the ‘stuff’ contained therein, but if we looked at the overall distribution of that ‘stuff’, we’d find it relatively evenly distributed throughout space. Turns out, not so, as the discovery of cosmic voids illustrated. To me, these Star Trek sounding oddities are cool and all, but the really amazing thing is that one of the observable voids is so large, if our galaxy sat at the center of it, we would have thought we were the only galaxy in existence until around the 1950’s when large enough telescopes were invented to pick up the light from the edge of the void. This kind of info is awe-inspiring. It reminds me that these timescales and distances are almost incomprehensible. Almost. It reminds me that for a cosmic blink of an eye, we tiny humans, living on a rocky planet, orbiting a G-type star, situated in the suburbs of the Milky Way Galaxy, one of the local group of galaxies in the observable universe, made a discovery that changed our understanding of the nature of the universe itself.

3. Daisy and I both got our hair cut last week. Finding a stylist, or a dog groomer, has been one challenge of living on the road. If I find someone really terrific, chances are, it will be my only visit. Still, it feels great to have a sleek and stylish cut, as I’m sure Daisy can attest!

4. Reviews matter. I’ve been singing this song on repeat recently, but it’s true. My alter-ego Maggie Clare discussed the topic at length last week on this post: Validity, Visibility, and the Warm Fuzzies . if you’ve read any of my books, please consider leaving a review. Even a line or two with the star rating would be greatly appreciated!

5. Last week, I joined a ‘sip and sprint’ with some of my new grad school classmates. We met via Zoom, introduced ourselves and our projects, and then participated in two twenty-minute writing sprints. The idea behind a sprint is to block out any distractions and then write as much as you can in a short amount of time. With my current aggressive publishing schedule, sprints have been my go-to method for kicking out enough material, but the idea of sprints can be applied to other tasks. For example, when I need to do a deep cleaning, or sort my wardrobe, or get through a pile of non-writing type work, I’ll break things down into manageable chunks. Instead of tossing every article of clothing I own onto the bed at once, I’ll tackle just one drawer, take a break, deal with the next, etc. You get the idea. Sometimes I need the reminder that pretty much any task, any goal, any particular busy day doesn’t have to be viewed as an overwhelming endeavor. I can approach things one sprint at a time!

Our itinerary, subject to change:

January 3 - February 2: Chula Vista, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 4: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 4 - 8: Albuquerque, NM

March 10 - 17: Austin, TX

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 8 - 23: Chicago, IL

May 23 -28: Wisconsin Dells, WI

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - January 1, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. Happy New Year! It’s been just over a year since Ray and I set out on our adventure. We remember making our holiday reservations while standing in line for a ride in Disney World, Florida, and it all seemed so far away! I hope your holiday was full of love, peace, and joy. It’s truly joyful for us when all our kids are together, and this year they were. Our third son made it home from his study abroad semester in London just in time despite crazy last minute flight cancellations. My mom and dad, and sister and brother-in-law rounded out our group, and we spent the week together celebrating. Highlights included a festive day in Disney Land, a terrific performance of A Christmas Carol, a party with my brother-in-law’s family featuring amazing Persian food, a drunken present-opening extravaganza, and lot’s of hang-around time with excellent meals courtesy of my sister and dad. All in all, this holiday will provide lasting good memories for years to come.

2. Pet lover’s pro-tip: If you have a kitty with any kind of behavior issue, try a pheromone collar. Our oldest cat has the onset of kitty dementia, officially known as feline cognitive dysfunction, and the collar had been a game-changer. She went from wandering around all night crying to regularly sleeping beside me in bed. She still has a few ‘episodes’ now and again, but they pass quickly and she spends most of her time purring contentedly.

3. I have so many pictures from our journey, and I vowed to organize them all into a memory book. I’m a little behind, but going forward, I’m going to organize them monthly so I don’t have a whole year’s worth to sort. At least, that’s my plan…

4. I love beginnings. I love the beginning of the week, of the day, of a semester, of a project… you get the idea. I think it’s because beginnings hold so much potential. I also love lists, planners, calendars, and basically anything that helps keep my life in order, so it tracks that I love to make detailed lists of my New Year’s intentions. I like to call them intentions rather than resolutions, but that’s just semantics. Anyway, I have them all sorted into categories, and then subdivided into first quarter goals, etc. etc. Again, you probably get the idea. I won’t bore you with those lists, but I will say that this year, I prioritized my health and well-being before my professional goals. It was a symbolic gesture, I simply wrote them out on the first page of my notes, but I think it was an important one. You know how on the plane, in case of emergency, you have to put on your oxygen mask before assisting others? That’s how I’m thinking about my personal intentions for the year. They need to come first so I can show up as my best self everywhere else.

5. “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” – Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Our itinerary, subject to change:

November 19 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - February 2: Chula Vista, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 5: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 5 - 14: Albuquerque, NM

March 15 - 18: Oklahoma City, OK

March 18 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

April 19 - 24: Ozarks, AK

April 24 - 28: Topeka, KS

April 24 - May 12: Kansas City, MO

May 12 - 24: Chicago, IL

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - October 23, 2024

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. We’re in Portland, Oregon for the rest of the month, and it’s been wonderful to see our daughter on the regular. She and her friends have come here for dinner and gone out with us. She’s brought over her laundry, and I’ve made her soup. I’ve watched her sing at gigs. When we sold our home, she was the one who missed it the most. It was the only place she’d ever lived, and I have to imagine, it was pretty disconcerting to have no place to really call home when the house she grew up in now belongs to another family. But, bringing the tiny, mobile house to her for a month has really been lovely. With four kids, chances are, at any given time, we’ll have to travel to see some of them. When they spend time here with us, I think they have the feeling of home, even though we aren’t currently anchored to a plot of land.

2. I found a really amazing groom for our cats. Seriously, it’s like spa day for pets. Beatrix, the sweetest but most skittish of our kitties, left for her appointment panicking in her carrier but returned purring contentedly. Now, all the other fur babies have a date. I play right along with the ‘crazy cat lady’ label, and people certainly feel free to tease me about it, but living with pets truly makes life better. They make our tiny house a home. They have their own unique personalities. They provide us with endless entertainment. But mostly, they instinctively know when you need their small, warm bodies cuddled up next to yours, and in their own simple way, they know we need them as much as they need us. So, honestly, I’m happy to provide them with a day at the kitty spa!

3. We’ve now crossed the continental United States and driven nearly the entirety of both coasts. As I watch the landscape change, I’m in awe. The drive is an incredible part of the journey, and the land has its own personality. As we change climates and elevations, weather patterns and temperatures, I feel immensely grateful to experience the country this way.

4. One of my college roommates lived in Portland. She passed away a year ago August, leaving behind her husband and two children. I haven’t mentioned her much on here because honestly, the tragedy of it is still so raw and the loss so enormous that there are really no words. A death like hers just leaves a giant void. She was a bright light, and for those of us privileged enough to know her, the world will always feel a little dimmer.

5. Last call to register for the webinar PATHWAYS TO PUBLISHING via Zoom! It’s only 90 minutes and very reasonably priced (only $35) for as much information as I can pack into the time slot! So, if you or anyone you know have interest, please follow the link below to register. Here’a a description… There’s more than one way to bring your book baby to life! Publishing has evolved in the modern era offering authors many options. With innovative platforms such as Inkitt and Wattpad, and indie, hybrid, and traditional models thriving, writers have many opportunities to see their work in print. And, don’t forget the audio and digital markets! Register for an informative program and lively discussion on the what, why, and how of modern publishing. Click HERE for more info.

Our Itinerary, subject to change:

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 12: Seattle, WA

November 12 - 19: Travel to Orange, CA

November 19 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: San Diego, CA

February 2 - 16: Palm Springs, CA

February 16 - March 1: Las Vegas, NV

March 1 - March 5: Meteor Crater, AZ

March 5 - 15: Albuquerque, NM

March 15 - 17: Amarillo, TX

March 17 - 24: Oklahoma City, OK

March 24 - April 5: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

April 5 - 12: Fredericksburg, TX

April 12 - 19: Hot Springs, AK

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - August 21, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. We made it to California! It’s official - we’ve now driven all the way across the country!

2. Of course, as soon as we arrived, we had to turn around and head to Arizona. Palm Springs fell directly in the path of Hilary, and while we probably could have weathered the storm, our house has wheels, so we decided to move it. The weather here in Arizona is cloudy and a little damper than usual, but much more pleasant than SoCal at the moment.

3. Zion National Park did not disappoint. We loved Utah and definitely plan to return. The people were so friendly, the landscapes breathtaking, and Ray would say that the golf was outstanding. I even rode along in the cart on the back nine once to take in the views!

4. Chocolate covered honeycomb is my new favorite candy. I try not to devour the entire container in one sitting, but it’s a challenge. I tell myself hot yoga will counter the effects of the tasty treat on my waistline, but I may be fooling myself. Time will tell.

5. Okay, so my writing is feeling a little flat right now. I keep reminding myself that summer is my least productive writing time, but it still doesn’t sit well with me. I’m used to feeling excited and inspired when it’s time to write most days, but lately, I find myself staring at the computer screen making faces. It’s probably time I follow my own advice and lower my expectations for a couple more weeks until it’s officially fall, but it’s definitely easier to give advice like that than it is to take it!

Our itinerary, subject to change…

August 18-27: Palm Springs, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - 9: San Francisco, CA

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 12: Seattle, WA

November 12 - 19: Travel to Orange, CA

January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

January 3 - 14: Oceanside, CA

January 19 - February 2: Las Vegas, NV

February 2 - 9: Flagstaff, AZ

February 9 - 23: Phoenix, AZ

February 23 - March 8: Tuscon, AZ

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Five Things - July 31, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. My dad headed home last week a few days after the kids. Ray had a business trip, so it was just the two of us for a few days. He and I are a lot alike. We geek out over the same stuff, like the night sky and our love of all things sci-fi, so binging Star Trek Picard became a priority. After Yellowstone, the Tetons were our next stop. My dad and I appreciate the majesty of nature in a similar way, and seeing something like the Teton range, and the beauty that surrounds it, was a breathtaking experience, one I’m really glad I could share with him. It’s been a long time since I’ve had my dad all to myself, and it was really lovely.

2. We’re still in Wyoming near the Tetons, so Ray and I got up early Sunday and went into the park. It was a good call because in addition to being far less crowded at the ass-crack of dawn, the animals made a great showing. A giant elk watched us from her place on Signal Mountain, a mama dear and her twin fawns grazed by the side of the road near Jenny Lake, and the bison were hanging out contentedly in the fields. I think early mornings in these parks might be the way to go.

3. Huckleberry everything is popular in Montana, and also here in Wyoming. I’ve recently learned I have a taste for huckleberry infused beer. Yum!

4. Daisy dog is a great travel companion. We take her with us pretty much everywhere unless we’re doing a serious hike where we might encounter wild animals. She’s super popular. The other day an older women who’d recently lost her elderly pup stopped and asked for a cuddle. Daisy happily obliged and I’m sure made that woman’s day. When I picked Ray up at the airport, Daisy was so excited to see him, she yipped, spun in circles, and gave him her biggest smile. We should all strive to be worthy of a dog’s unconditional love.

5. If I’d lived out here in the mountains, I might have become a geologist, and I definitely would have taken up rock climbing. Growing up on the ocean, I didn’t think any type of geography would capture my imagination as much as the coastline, but the mountains sure have come close.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Our itinerary subject to change:

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Palm Springs, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA

October 1 - 9: San Francisco, CA

October 9 - 30: Portland, OR

October 30 - November 15: Seattle, WA

November 15 - January 3, 2024: Orangeland Park, CA

Five Things - April 17, 2023

Welcome to my blog titled “Five Things” where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. In addition, at the end of the blog, I’ll keep a running itinerary of our travel plans. For a photo gallery of our life on the road, our pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.

So here are this week’s five things…

1. Flexibility is key to our well-being, especially on the road! While we’ve planned out our path for the next several months, stuff happens in the meantime. Instead of feeling frustrated and tense when we have to make changes, we sit with our map and a glass of wine and rework certain dates and places. The more comfortable we are in our tiny, mobile home, the easier it gets to roll with things.

2. We’ve had a blast in New Orleans. It’s a quirky city with terrible roads, but we’ve eaten our way through the French Quarter, listened to some fantastic music, brought our dog to the Vampire Bar, where they served her a pup plate for dinner, met up with good friends from RI, and spent time with one of Ray’s college roommates and his wife. We visited the WWII museum, shopped, and managed to get some work done in between!

3. “Don’t count the days. Make the days count.” - Muhammad Ali

4. I can not stress enough how important it is that we have laundry on board.

5. I’m very excited to teach another Zoom webinar for the ARIA Writing Academy titled ‘Editing: Soup to Nuts’ on Thursday, May 11th at 7 pm EST. A well edited manuscript can mean the difference between a book that’s ready for the world and a document that sits in a drawer collecting dust. If you’re ready to tackle your edits, check out this class. Here’s a link to the full course description and registration: ARIA Writing Academy.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Our itinerary, subject to change:

April 19-28: Austin, TX

April 28 - May 8: Medina Lake, TX

May 8-15: Carlsbad, NM

May 15-22: Albuquerque, NM

May 22-29: Santa Fe, NM

May 29 - June 2: Alamosa, CO

June 2-10: Colorado Springs, CO

June 10-18: Granby, CO

June 18 - July 5: Central City, CO

July 5-9: Vernal, UT

July 9-15: Salt Lake, UT

July 15-22: West Yellowstone, MT

July 22 - August 5: Jackson, WY

August 5-10: Rock Springs, WY

August 10-18: Hurricane, UT

August 18-27: Coachella, CA

August 27 - September 5: Temecula, CA

September 5 - October 1: Santa Barbara, CA